Japanese Paper Doll Pictures - Grade 1

 

Lesson Background:

This week we had a whole school Japanese Fun Day and I wanted to create some craft in the lead-up (mainly so we would have something fun to practise our procedure writing with!).  I saw this activity in the fabulous Usborne paper and carboard activities book (https://www.amazon.com.au/365-Things-do-Paper-Cardboard/dp/1409524604).

Lesson Materials (per student):

Japanese-print paper cut into a long rectangle body, 2 sleeves, and spare small scraps for hair pieces (as I was working with young children I pre-cut out the sleeves and rectangle bodies -this was very quick and easy as the paper was thin so I could cut out half a class worth of sleeves at the same time in a pile.  If I had older students I would have modelled how to draw the sleeves onto the paper and had them draw and cut them out themselves)

pale coloured paper for the face (I had these cut out into smallish rectangles, big enough to draw the head and hair onto)

1 small rectangular piece of paper for the belt (in a contrasting colour to the body paper)

1 black sharpie

1 pink texta

1 gluestick

1 pair of scissors

1 lead pencil

1 half of an A4 coloured sheet to stick the doll onto

Lesson Steps:

1. Show students a sample of the finished doll and explain different options.

2.  Turn the backing paper into a portrait position. 

3.  Stick the rectangle body about 2 finger spaces from the bottom of the page, in the middle.

4.  Stick the thin rectangular belt in the middle of the body.

5. Stick the 2 sleeves onto the shoulders, ensuring the shoulders lean downwards and there is a gap between the bottom of the sleeve and the side of the body.

6.  Place the pale paper on top of the body (don't stick yet) and draw an upside-down watermelon shape coming out from either side of the doll's body, with a straight line across the top, to make a face.

7.  Draw in eyes and mouth with the black sharpie (lead pencil first to be safe, if desired).

8.  Draw in circle cheeks with the pink texta.

9.  With the pencil, draw a line coming out from each side of the face, then connect the 2 lines by drawing a curved line up and over the head, to make the hair shape.  Show students different options for hairstyles such as buns/ponytails/more masculine styles.

10. Colour the hair in with black sharpie.

Student Artworks:

Well done, 1B!